588 MW Beatrice Offshore Wind Farm Begins Operation

SSE has announced the official opening of the 588 MW Beatrice offshore wind farm in Scotland.

The renewables unit of UK utility SSE plc has announced the official opening of the 588 MW Beatrice offshore wind farm in the Outer Moray Firth, Scotland.

Situated in the North Sea, 13 km off the coast of Caithness, Beatrice’s 84 turbines will generate 588 MW of energy – enough to power 450,000 homes every year – and save around 8m tonnes of harmful carbon emissions over its expected 25-year lifetime operation, playing a crucial role in the UK’s efforts to combat climate change.

The £2.5 billion project is the largest ever single private investment in Scotland and was developed by Scottish-headquartered energy firm, SSE Renewables (40%), with Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (35%) and Red Rock Power Limited (25%).

Jim Smith, Managing Director of SSE Renewables said “we’re incredibly proud it’s been delivered on time and under budget, even when dealing with the challenges the North Sea and deep waters bring. We’re especially proud of the significant positive impact Beatrice has already made to the communities of Wick and Caithness, and which will last for decades to come.”

SSE Renewables will operate the project, which will support up to 90 long-term jobs – from offshore technicians to office administrators – with the majority based in the rural community of Wick.

Michael Hannibal, Partner in Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, said “having been part of the development and construction of Beatrice, we are pleased that this offshore wind farm is now feeding green, renewable electricity into the grid. The project will make a positive impact on the local communities, to Scotland and to the UK. The official opening of Beatrice is another milestone in our offshore wind strategy, where we are developing, constructing and operating offshore wind projects globally.”

Construction of the wind farm, Scotland’s single largest source of renewable energy, has provided a £2.4 billion economic boost to the UK, of which £1 billion went directly to Scotland, supporting 19,110 years of employment in the UK during the development and construction phases, of which 7,180 were in Scotland.